This is Christmas week and we are enjoying so many festivities!!!! Christmas really is the best time of year! Mike's mom gifted us Lapp Sisters to a very beautiful day at Longwood Gardens! It was planned for all of to go but last minute it only suited three of us. We walked through the conservatory in awe! Everything is just so gorgeous!!!! I mean like heavenly beauty! So many flowers, plants, trees with real fruit growing on them and poinsettias and water fountains and so many Christmas trees! I loved it!!!! Thank you so much Mom!!!!!
This place is a gem in our area!!!!!!
Then Lena mentioned something about eating a late lunch at the Terrian and what a wonderful suggestion! I love the Terrian too and their food is amazing! This was a great Christmas outing!
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I needed this day to be at home and gather up my menu for Christmas, double check my lists and go grocery shopping! With having such a busy past weekend, and then out of the house all day on Monday, I was so happy to be home on Tuesday! I wrapped up those gifts we bought at Cabelas and even got some baking done! All the while, having Christmas music playing nonstop and enjoying our cozy home!
The littles are enjoying some fun specials happening at school this Christmas week! This was silly sock/slipper day!
Let's take a minute and talk about sports! Mike and I have cheered together with every sport our kids have played so far (baseball, soccer, volleyball and basketball) and we want to be their biggest fans! If possible, we are there! I think it's important for our kids to know we are cheering for them and the team! It builds confidence! It's life lessons when I think back of Matthew's first basketball games and losing every single game. That was not fun or easy! He, and the team, have worked extremely hard to get to this level now and it's showing up in wins!!! We think they have the best coach and he works the guys in practice with intensity! Again, it's paying off because the Warriors have not lost a game yet this season! Last nights game was incredible! High energy! Matthew broke the school records for the most points for one player to score during a game!!!! Lot's of cheerleaders and this actually gives me tears when I watch teachers sitting along the sidelines cheering and hangin out with their students! When parents show up and cheer for their kids! It's just wonderful to be in a community of people that LOVE their children and cheer them on!
The gymnasium was packed and most were wearing some sort of "christmas sweater". I love how our school brings energy to the players. During a time out, in the fourth period, one of the boys from the team ran over to where most of the school students were cheering and said, "Coach said to get loud!" Oh boy, they jumped up to their feet and started clapping and cheering even louder! The players turned it up another notch and won the game with much sweat and energy! I literally get tears typing this because if our world could just cheer on our teenagers like this in life, our world would be different!!!! Our world would be better! Kids, especially teenagers, need encouragement. They need us parents and others around them to clap and cheer for them! Life isn't always fair or easy! That's life but what if we would just let our teenagers know how much we love them and are their biggest fans, it makes an impact!!!!!! Every time I attend a game that one of our kids are playing in, there is a moment that just gets me! When everyone is cheering and hollering for the team, it reminds me of how it must be in heaven with angles up there cheering on us Christians! We should do this with our Christian believers here on earth! It's amazing how much encouragement and energy it gives!
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This has been my breakfast the past week or so and it's delicious!
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Friends of ours opened up a new cafe right above the school High School!!!! This is going to be a treat for all locals but especially to the kids at Linville!!!! Wow! Steve and Ruth make really good food and I couldn't wait to go on their opening day!
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We had a beautiful Christmas Eve, Eve, Eve Service at church!!!! The worship team did a glorious program and I was loving it because, you know, I love Christmas songs!!!!
We finished the evening with hot chocolate and cookies.
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We attended the Christmas parties at school! Ashlyn's class decided on doing another breakfast at school! Zayla was hanging out with her a little while Lena was in another classroom! She's so cute!
Austin's class had a snack, played Bingo, had story time and made a craft!
Little Miss Zayla made herself right at home with Austin's desk! :))). We all love Zayla so much!
It was also Christmas Sweater Day at school and I put this together in no time flat because we forgot to be creative with it the night before. I stapled a reindeer paper plate to Austin's sweatshirt and we added a ribbon for the nose. Easy!
And isn't she just too cute!!!!!! She's big stuff in these school hallways!
I also put this snowman together for Austin's class. Pinterest has so many fun, creative ideas!!!! The kids liked this guy!
And as we were leaving school, Ashlyn was telling her friends, "See you next year!" She thought that was cute to say! :). We grabbed a snapshot with Dr. Hurst and I love how she adds such good humor and spirit to the School!!!!
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Christmas Vacation has now begun for the kiddoes and we cannot wait to spend the days off of school celebrating the birth of Jesus! We plan to eat good food! Watch Christmas movies! Do puzzles! Sleep in and stay up late! Open gifts! Burn candles. Read the story of Jesus' birth! Relax!!!!!
Merry Christmas and may this be the best time for you and your family!!!
